Buttermilk Cornbread

This recipe is from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood. Trisha uses this recipe to make her Grandma Lizzie's Cornbread Dressing (pictured).

Level:
Moderate

Serves:
8

Ingredients

4 tbsp. corn oil or bacon drippings

3 c. self-rising cornmeal

2½ c. Buttermilk

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pour 2 tablespoons of the oil into a well-seasoned 9-inch cast-iron skillet (see Tips & Techniques) and place over medium-high heat. Put the cornmeal in a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the cornmeal and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. With a fork, stir in enough of the buttermilk to make a batter that is thick but can easily be poured into the hot skillet.

Carefully pour the batter into the skillet. The oil will come up around the edges. Use the back of a spoon to smooth this over the top of the batter. Continue to heat on a stovetop for 1 minute, and then transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the cornbread for 20 minutes, or until browned on top. Immediately turn the cornbread out onto a cooling rack to keep the crust crisp.

Tips & Techniques

Season a new cast-iron skillet by coating the inside with vegetable shortening (not butter) and heating the pan in a very hot oven (450 degrees F) for 1 hour. Cool the skillet and wipe off any excess oil before using. To care for a seasoned skillet, wipe the interior after each use. Do not soak it in soapy water or put it in the dishwasher.